Ablaze
by awsehujikoza
Summary: This is a kind of different story but with the characters from the Drake Chronicles because they are awesome!
1. Prologue

**Hey, so the story is a little different but it's still really good!**

**Me: Boo! I found you!**

**Beau (my alter ego) : I still don't get how we can play hide-n-seek when I am you and you are me.**

**Me: -snarls- Just do it.**

**Beau: -laughs nervously- Good dog, good dog... Want a cookie?**

**Me: Oh really? -smiles- Thank you very much.**

**Beau: RUN. FOR. YOUR. LIFE!**

Prologue

Lucy

A mist had descended to swath the corn field in a thick, swirling, white nothingness, dulling the golden lantern light to a faint yellow glow that barely reached us and clinging to every dark silhouette. The stars twinkled above my head mockingly. It was well into the early hours by now.

The flames were licking at my bare arms, pinching at me, burning me. But he simply stood there, gazing at me in a bored kind of humour and twirling a stake around his thumb nonchalantly. Why? Why wouldn't he let me out?

As if he heard my thoughts his eyes flitted up to my face and he said, "You've played. Played, Lucky."

There was an evil smirk plastered on his face that, I admit, I would have enjoyed kicking off. It probably should have bugged me that he had used me but to be honest I was furious at him for calling me Lucky. What exactly does that say about me? A huge cheer erupted from the right side of field and I bit the tip of my tongue, refusing to glance over at them.

I will not give in, I promised myself, and I will kick ass.

That last part may have been truer than the first part.

I swept my gaze around me and noticed a shadow hunched down, hidden among the long stalks of corn, swaying in the icy Autumn breeze.

I swore violently and curled my hands into fists. "Get back! Get back, you frikking idiot! I am so gonna kill you!"

**Me: Okay, so it's short, but it's only the prologue and the other chapters will be longer.**

**Beau: -evil laugh-**

**Me: Oh. My. God. _What have you done? _**

**Beau: -stops laughing and hides under the bed- **

**BOOM!**

**PLEASE R&R**


	2. Chapter 1

**So do you like it so far?**

**Me: Guess what I found on youtube, Beau.**

**Beau: Um... I really don't want to.**

**Me: Okay, fine. I know a song that will get on you nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves. I know a song that will get on your nerves and this is how it goes: I know a song that will-**

**Beau: Save me!**

**Me: -get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves. I know a song that will get on your nerves and this is how it goes: I know a song that will get on you nerves, get on your nerves, get on your-**

**Beau: Finish that and I will kill you.**

Chapter 1

Lucy

I slept, dreaming. Well, actually, it was more of a nightmare. One I had been having way to often recently. I was standing in a ball of fire. The flames caressed my arms causing dark brown marks to swirl up my arms. I screamed and thrashed but couldn't get out of the ball of fire.

Suddenly my bedroom morphed into my dreams ending the nightmare. And starting another. A man stood in my doorway, watching silently. He was wearing dark, old-fashioned clothes and a feathered hat pulled low over his face.

"She's pretty. Nothing like her mother though," he said over his shoulder.

Behind him, another man, dressed identically, dragged something down the landing. Or someone.

I woke up screaming and clapped a hand over my mouth to stop myself. I wiped sweat off my brow and flicked my tangled hair out of my face. Pale Autumn sunlight was filtering through my thin, white curtains.

Suddenly I felt that something was wrong. The air was tense with electricity. The house was unusually silent and still. I sat up in bed and surveyed my bedroom. Everything was in place – the framed photo of me and Cherry at the beach three years ago was on the desk; Winnie was slumped over on top of my dress; the muddy footprints by the door. I slumped back into bed.

Wait!

What footprints? I literally fell out of bed in my hurry to reach them and crawled over to the doorway. The large, mud-encrusted footprints were in exactly the same place where the man in my dream had been standing and watching me. I dragged a finger over the over a footprint. It came away coated in crumbly, brown dust. I shuffled over to the next pair and they were still fresh. My finger came away covered in moist, clay mud. How long had the man been standing there?

I traced the second pair down the landing and into my cousin's room, heart beating.

Inside I saw my Aunt sobbing and clutching Jemma's teddy to her chest.

Me and my eleven year old brother, Christopher, lived with our Aunt, Uncle and five year old cousin, Jemma. We had come a year ago when our father had been murdered and our mother had gone crazy. I mean she hind of crazy and evil before but when Dad died she went mad, loony, off her rocker, nuts, missing a screw. One day she simply disappeared without a trace and me and Chris had gone to live with our Aunt and Uncle.

Jemma's room was a wreck. Her belongings had been scattered carelessly – some even broken. And a strange symbol had been grafitied over her pink walls in red spray paint. Or was it blood? Jemma's blood.

"What's going on?" Christopher's head popped out from behind his door.

People often didn't believe we were brother and sister, he had straight blonde hair and baby blues eyes. I had wavy, tabby hair and green-brown eyes. I took after our father, he took after our mother. Oh, and he was kind of evil when I was nice. Just don't ask Thorne.

I left him to find out by himself. I couldn't deal with his irritating questions right now. As if I knew more than him. He was second on my list of people to punch in my face. Thorne is first. Actually they're the only people on it – I am nice. Anyway, I felt queasy. I pulled on my uniform – a short navy skirt that rose half way up my thigh; knee-length, white socks; a white shirt that hugged my body; a pale blue jumper; and scuffed, black pumps. Then I jogged outside, grabbing my rucksack on the way.

When I opened the door a sudden gust of icy wind swept a newspaper page into my face. In the movies it's funny. In real life it's not. Trust me. I pulled it off, groaning, and peered at the page. The black print was faint but I could make out a name in bold print.

I was squinting at it when distracted by an annoyingly familiar wolf whistle behind me. Lucas. I turned around and scowled.

Walking past my house were my best friend, Solange, and three of her older brothers, Quinn, Conner, Logan and Nicholas. Honestly, why was it always the most annoying ones?

Cherry had black hair chopped unevenly just past her shoulders and pale blue eyes. She was beautiful with long legs and glowing, pale skin.

All of her brothers had dark brown hair and angelic faces. Only their eyes were different.

"Bed head," Quinn taunted. "It suits you."

"Cut it out, Quinn," I snapped. "I'm not in the mood."

Solange hugged me and rested her head on my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I muttered.

"Did you oversleep?" Quinn asked sceptically.

"Shut up," I growled at him.

"We're going to school. You coming?" Solange asked, realising I that I probably needed some time to myself.

"I'll catch up," I murmured into the ground. Quinn, Conner and Logan shrugged and started ambling away, not realising that they weren't far enough away for me not to hear a snippet of conversation about my but. I balled up the newspaper in my hand and threw it at Quinn's head. It met it's target. "Shut up, Quinn!" I yelled.

Nicholas hung back, eyeing me suspiciously with his pale grey-blue eyes until Solange hooked her arm through it and towing him away.

I watched them walk away, leaning against a tall Silver Birch. A chilly Autumn breeze made my skirt flutter. Winter was approaching and the temperature was dropping. Red, brown, yellow, gold and orange leaves drifted in the wind.

At my feet I saw a spot of red paint. Liquid at least. I followed the drizzle, hoping to find the spray cans that had been used in Jemma's room. The trail led me to a bristly bush. I peered inside and saw Jemma. Her eyes were closed and the symbol had been scratched into the back of her hand. It was oozing what I had thought was paint. Her thin, blonde hair had caught on branches as she was dumped in the bush and was splayed about her like a golden halo. Blood was trickling down her arm and her skin was pale.

The last thing I remembered before passing out was hearing Nicholas and Solange yell my name in unison. I glanced at them, confused about why they were so panicked about me, until I realised the world was tilting. Then it all went black as I hit the pavement with a dull thud.

**Me: -nerves! -jazz hands-**

**Beau: That's it your _dead_!**

**Me: Aaaaargh!**

**Please R&R**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hiya. **

**Me: I got these really awesome Cookie Monster pijamas today. But you don't wanna know that...**

**Beau: You're right, we don't. KNOW GET ON WITH THE STORY!**

**Me: Well I'm not - you know, just to annoy you.**

**...**

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**Beau: Aaaargh!**

Chapter 2

Solange

I glanced back at Lucy and saw her eyes roll back into her head and saw her drop limp to the floor. Nicholas knelt by her side and lifted her head off the pavement, brushing asphalt out of her hair. Usually my brothers would have taken the mick out of him but since my best friend, and their honorary sister, had just passed out and her cousin was also passed out in a bush, soaking in a pool of her own blood, they weren't in the mood.

I pulled out my mobile and dialed nine nine nine, drumming my fingers on something impatiently while it rang. Then I looked down at what I had been drumming my fingers on and leapt back with a yelp. Conner pressed a hand against my back to steady me. I had been tapping my fingers on Jemma's hand and they were dipped in blood.

"Is everything okay?" came a concerned voice.

I pressed the phone to my ear, forcing myself to ignore the sweet, tantalizing smell of Jemma's blood.

"We need an ambulance. And quick." I couldn't stop myself from licking my fingers. Jemma's blood tasted sugary and fresh, so unlike the week old animal blood we skived off the butcher's. I saw the stream in her arm and my pupils widened, turning my eyes black. I inhaled the metallic aroma of blood.

"Snap out of it!" snapped Logan, dragging me away from Jemma. I shook my mind to clear away the red mist clouding my vision.

"Hello? Hello? Is anybody there?" demanded the voice from my phone.

"Yes. Could please send an ambulance. Like right now. Please."

"We need the details first. What has happened and how did this happen?"

"For God's sake, woman!" I shrieked. "Send a bloody ambulance. My friend's passed out!" I hissed the address down the line and hung up, looking nervous. "I hope the ambulance comes. I think I pissed off the lady at the hospital."

As I shook my head I caught sight of a figure standing at the end of the street and watching us. I was sure I recognised the insignia stitched over his heart. Honestly vampire-hunters – they don't know the word disguise, do they? "Isn't that -"

I was cut short by the blaring sirens of the ambulance, it was still very far off but my ears caught the faint sound. I glimpsed the figure sprinting away just before the ambulance arrived.

The paramedics loaded Jemma into the van but they said that all Lucy needed was to be taken inside and given time to get rested up.

Nicholas carried her inside and laid her down on her bed. We stood around her in a circle for ten minutes in silence.

Lucy had long hair, every shade of brown and black, like a tabby cat, that fell in messy waves down her back. It was untameable, unruly and won every battle with the straighteners. She was small, with dark, olive skin and huge green-brown eyes.

The silence was punctuated only by Lucy's steady heart beat.

And suddenly we fell into complete silence.

"She's not frikking breathing!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Quinn was furiously pounding on Lucy's chest and Nicholas was pulling him back, yelling that he would only break her ribs.

"Someone needs to do CPR," I announced. We all looked at Nicholas. "Come on," I said, herding Conner, Quinn and Logan out of Lucy's bedroom. "Now," I hissed at Nicholas.

I felt an awful lot like an evil laugh. I've always wanted to make Lucy and Nicholas kiss - I mean it is so obvious that they like each other.

Not ten seconds later I realised Lucy was awake because I heard her heart flutter to life again. But the main give away was the scream. "What the crap! Psychopath!"

"Oh my god! You're alive!" I cried, bursting into the room and hugging her. Lucy and Nicholas were clinging to the bars of the bed on opposite sides of it and glaring at each other.

My insensitive, buffoon brothers, of course, found all of this extremely hilarious and Conner, Quinn and Logan had the uttermost trouble of keeping each other up as they roared with laughter.

"Of course I'm alive," Lucy muttered, her heart still skipping beats.

"You're heart stopped beating."

"How do you know and what did that have to do with Nicholas kissing me?" she demanded, trying to cover up the fact that her voice squeaked.

"He was doing CPR," I explained. She looked blank. "Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. You know what, never mind."

On the way Lucy and Nicholas walked as far away from each other as possible. I explained to Lucy that Jemma was in a stable condition in hospital but had lost a lot of blood and was going to have a blood transfusion. Then I gave her the paramedics' advice that she rest and casually added in that Nicholas had carried her home. She huffed and shot Thorne a glare. She hated showing weakness. The only time I had seen her cry was when her dad had died.

When we got to school my brothers moved to surround us in a circle like bodyguards as we walked. I rolled my eyes.

"Drama queens," Lucy muttered under her breath, unaware that we could all hear her perfectly well.

We sat in the waiting room and waited to be admitted into the Head's office. Conner was on his phone and Quinn and Logan were chatting about motorbikes and what not in a completely foreign language to me consisting mainly of random letters and numbers. In other words, how Lucy spoke French.

Nicholas and Lucy were bickering about whether or not he was driving us home and I perched on the windowsill reading my book. It was pretty sad really, because I had to make sure the blinds were down. Anyone who had walked down the hallway then would have seen five male models, a female model and... ucy. I guess she's just unique.

At last we were let into the Headmistress's office. This office always creeped me out because it was freakishly bare. There were bare wooden walls, spotless laminated floors, an entirely clean desk. But it was mostly the actual Headmistress that creeped me out. She was tall and skeletal with jutting cheekbones, a bob of black hair and Dumbledore, half-moon spectacles that perched on the bridge of her nose.

"Lucky Hamilton, Quinn, Conner, Logan, Nicholas, Solange Drake." she stated.

Lucy ground her teeth in irritation at her full name. "I think we know our freaking names," she muttered under her breath.

"I have been led to understand that your house has been broken into today, Miss Hamilton?" she inquired in her firm, clipped tone.

"Yup," she answered, popping the 'p'.

"You then discovered your cousin in a bush and fell into an unconscious state?"

"Yup."

The Headteacher frowned. She obviously disliked Lucy's tone, but she let it go because it was Lucy and everyone loved Lucy. Hehe, as if. "And, let me guess, Solange, Nicholas, Logan, Conner and Quinn Drake all _had_ to wait with you?"

"Um... Yes?"

She shook her head and pinned us all with an accusing look. "Lucy, Solange, Nicholas, you have clearance. You may now go to your lesson. Quinn, Conner, Logan, as I see no possible reason for you to have remained at Miss Hamilton's house, I will have to detain you for a detention after school."

"I don't understand why Nicholas got off stock free when _you're_ my best friend," Lucy muttered as soon as she was sure the door was shut.

I snorted, then covered it up with a cough.

Nicholas smirked at her. "Don't be so cocky," she scolded and flicked his ear.

I dragged her away to Science before they were at each others throats. I finished the half of the Science Test that I actually understood and began to doodle. Both Nicholas and I had inherited our father's artistic genes and soon my ratty piece of scrap paper dotted with random sketches. I drew a hazy sketch of the silent figure that was watching us in the morning.

_**I know Y the Head let Thorne out with us,**_ I scribbled on the back of my paper.

Lucy shook her head at me in dismay, _**Y then?**_

_**Because he lurves u and u lurve him and everyone xept u 2 can C it. Even the Head can,**_ I taunted and snickered as her eyes widened and she glared at me.

_**I hate u.**_

_**No better comeback than 'I hate u'?**_

_**...I hate u.**_

When the bell rang, declaring the end of lessons for the day, there was a mad scramble for the door. All of my classmates leapt from their seats and elbowed their way to the door, calling to each. I elbowed my way through the throng calling out to Lucy.

She was nowhere to be seen. I frowned. Nicholas and I were under strict instructions from Mum to bring her back home straight after school. Before she could get into any trouble. I prowled through the corridor, searching for Lucy, until I met Nicholas.

"Did you see her come out?" I asked nervously, without bothering with a greeting.

"No."  
"What if Lady Natasha's court get to her before we do? Or the Helios-ra? Oh my God, assassins!" I started babbling and hyperventilating in a panic.

Nicholas clapped a hand over my mouth. "There is a higher chance that Mo will strangle herself with a shoelace by accident." He thought about that for a moment. "No, wait. Bad example."

We went to opposite sides of the corridor and opened all the doors of the classrooms, calling her name.

Suddenly I saw a flash of brown hair and a muttered curse. Then the click as a window sprung open and a soft thump as someone leapt out of it. And then an angry shriek.

"Oy, girl! Get off the flowers!"

Nicholas reached the window before me and swore colourfully. I saw Lucy's silhouette dark against the trees bordering the school – the beginning of a huge forest.

"She's going into the woods!" I gasped dramatically because no situation was too serious to annoy Nicholas. I could literally feel the irritation radiating off him at my statement of the obvious.

A woman was leaning out of a window in the school office. She was red-faced and panting with outrage.

"Don't you dare-" she began but we had already dived out of the window and we racing towards the woods.

We came to the edge of the woods where we could finally accelerate from the infuriatingly laggard speed of human running and split. After watching way too many stereotypical horror films, I didn't exactly approve. More precisely, I'd had a hissy fit and demanded that we stay together in case we were attacked (honestly, it seemed like half the world was after us) but Nicholas had been form and there was no way around him. So we set off looking for Lucy, just hoping we weren't too late.

**So do you like it?**

**Do you like how I made Nicholas kiss Lucy. Trust me, there will be more romance. Just wait and be patient.**

**If you want more R&R**


	4. Chapter 3

**Here's another chapter. Enjoy!**

**Me: Beau killed me but i have been reincarnated as a unicorn.**

**Beau: Unfortunately, as we are the same person, so have I.**

**Me: And it is hell typing with hooves.**

**Beau: I'm really regretting killing you now.**

**Me: Why, 'cos you love me?**

**Beau: Hell no. I hate unicorns.**

**Me: Anyway, let's go and play on the rainbow!**

**Beau: Save me!**

Chapter 3

Lucy

The woods were my favourite hideout. A place where I could wind down and think in peace. Nobody else came there.

It was rumoured that dark shadows stalked their depths, supernaturally strong and fast they were the terror of our school. People went missing for days and turned up again, without the memory of what had happened. Nobody except me went anywhere near it. That was probably why I liked them so much.

So I retreated further into the woods. Padding through the crisp, yellow, Autumn grass, trying to match a meaning to the symbol sprayed over Jemma's walls. Automatically my feet took me to my favourite spot. I dropped onto a large tree root and hung my head in my arms.

I jerked upright and looked around at the sound of rustling in the undergrowth. And saw, to my relief, a grey squirrel scurry up a tree. I laughed nervously – nothing to be afraid of. I dropped my heads into my hands again.

Then I saw a familiar red drop of blood. Now there was something to be afraid of. I followed the drizzle like an Easter Egg trail but it would lead me to a corpse instead of a pile of chocolate. I preferred chocolate.

I hesitated at a knot of brambles. Did I really want to see the next victim? Yes, I decided. Carefully, I parted the tangles and froze with terror as Christopher's brown eyes stared up at me blankly. His light brown hair was matted with blood and there was a gruesome gash along his leg.

The symbol I didn't recognise was etched into his arm with a blunt knife.

Hold on!

The marks were glistening with fresh blood. That meant that the crazed serial killer was still on the loose. And somewhere nearby.

I felt a cool breath on my neck.

I bit my lip to stop it from trembling and kicked back just as the person behind me placed a hand on my wrist and said in a familiar voice, "Lucky."

Nicholas fell to the floor with a grunt of pain.

I whirled around in a cloud of anger. "Nicholas! What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were a murderer!"

He just groaned and rubbed his shin where I had kicked him.

"How did you even get here? I just saw you at school," I said, slapping his head for good measure. Even if he wasn't a murderer he wasn't getting off that easily for spying on me.

"Stop being such a drama queen," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

I heard the flutter of leaves as something brushed past them.

"Stop bickering, you two. We need to go, Nick. I can feel Natasha's followers closing in – they can sense the blood. And they can sense Lucy," Solange said, leaning against a tree. When did she get here?

"Why? Where? I'm not leaving Christopher." my head was beginning to throb.

They turned to face each other.

"I hoped it wouldn't come to this," sighed Solange.

"But now it has," agreed Nicholas overly solemnly.

I stared at them suspiciously. I really wasn't liking where this was going.

"Lucy, either you come with us of free will, or we will have to use force."

I shook my head – I'm nothing if not stubborn – and clutched Christopher's hand to my chest. Nicholas marched over to me and picked me up with ease.

Upside down.

And I was not going to allow it.

"Let me go, you moron!" I screamed, having to content myself with clawing at his ankles though I really would have preferred his face. My eyes could have burnt a soul. It's just a shame I couldn't see him. I would be worried if I have to remind you that I was upside down.

"Imbecile! Retard! Weirdo!"

"The right way up, Nicholas," said Solange, gently picking up Christopher and slinging him over her shoulder.

"Creep! Stalker! Idiot!"

"Spoilsport," chuckled Nicholas.

He tossed me up like a rag doll and caught me again, thankfully, the right way around. The he froze as our eyes met. We gazed into each others eyes: him into my green-brown eyes; me into his pale grey eyes, unable to break contact.

"Demented possum!" I howled, breaking the silence.

Nicholas chuckled so I pinched him and glared daggers because he was supposed to fear my wrath.

"Let's go, love birds," called Solange.

"Shut up," we said in unison.

Their muscles tensed. Suddenly they both pushed off and ran fast. I mean, really fast. The trees around us were a blur, the branches scratched my face, the fierce wind whipped my hair back. Now I understood how Nick and Sol had got here so fast. I looked up at him, remembering the feel of his lips on mine. Then I blinked...

And had a complete mental breakdown. This was it. Surely, if I was daydreaming of Nicholas kissing me instead of poking him in the eye with a particularly sharp pencil the world was finally coming to an end.

To distract myself I looked over at Solange. She was lagging behind a little, carrying Christopher. I immediately felt sympathy for her – Christopher was a dead weight. His head was lolling backwards at an unnatural angle and blood was trickling down his arm. One look at Solange's pained face showed she was fighting an inner battle.

All of a sudden three people (or could I really call them people?) closed in on us, yelling some sort of battle cry, which was unfair because I've always wanted to yell a battle cry. They were wearing black clothes like the men in my dream and their belts were decorated with an assortment of deadly weapons.

Pointy, sparkly weapons.

The three attackers were grouped around Solange who was looking like she was about to rip someone's head off. I could hear them hissing and squabbling over who would drink my brother's blood. Vampires.

Solange growled as one of the vampires reached for her throat.

What was a best friend to do but launch herself at the said vampire?

Let her best friend's brother take care of the matter? Her best friend's brother who just happened to be stronger, faster, possibly cleverer?

The thought hadn't even crossed my mind.

I was riding the vampire like a rodeo as he scratched at my ankles, which, luckily, were the only parts of me he could reach. Meanwhile, Nicholas had knocked over another of the vampires and unsheathed a small dagger.

"Hey, look!" one of them called, pointed a finger at me. "It's Lady Natasha's girl."

"Hello, sweetheart," the second drawled, aiming a crossbow at me. "Come with us and your friends don't get hurt."

I was about to snap back an insult when the vampire I was currently piggybacking lurched forwards and head butted his companion. They both went down in a tangle of limbs and curses and Nicholas plucked me out of the air.

The last remaining vampire dropped back with a hiss and I was feeling confidant so I twisted around in Nicholas's arms and yelled, "Really? Really? You're not a cat, honey."

We cleared the huge woods soon. Obviously it would have taken a normal person a couple of hours to run that, not carrying someone else. I had to remind myself that I was not dealing with normal people here. Nicholas was way hotter than a normal person. Save yourself, the world is ending!

**Me: So what'd ya think?**

**Beau: Please don't do that cowboy thing.**

**Me: But I like ma cowboy thang.**

**Beau: Me...**

**Me: You ruin all the fun.**

**Please R&R**


	5. Note

**Hey, sorry to disappoint you but this isn't another update.**

**I need to consult someone on a problem I have with the plot.**

**SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!**

**In the second book (I want to write two) the Drakes will betray Lucy (who by the way is also a vampire in this book) and she will have to go through the bloodchange on her own with no one to help her.**

**BUT She has to be a vampire to be trapped in the fire in the first book.**

**Solutions! Solutions! I'll dedicate the next chapter for the person with the best solution.**

**Beau: Kill her off! Kill her off!**

**Me: Most definately not.**

**Beau: But there are so many possibilities-**

**Me: -claps a hand over Beau's mouth- I am not killing off my favourite character and that is final. Well, except Nicholas. -giggles-**


	6. Chapter 4

**Okay enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review.**

**Me: OMG I got the highest mark in the Latin test in the WHOLE YEAR! I am so happy!**

**Beau: -bitterly- Yep. Her new goal in life is to become fluent in Latin and have secret converstions with people.**

**Me: YAY! YAY! YAY!**

**Beau: You suck at Science though.**

**Me: -threatening- Do not ruin my happy mood.**

Chapter 4

Lucy

After the woods there was a wide stretch of empty fields. And the Drakes' farm. I one handedly looked after the farm because none of the Drake' happened to actually like feeding animals, cleaning up after animals, actually making sure the animals are _alive_. Well, just animals in general. The farmhouse was huge and built out of large, smooth, grey stones. The glass was thick and treated and there were lots of barn houses hidden in the fields surrounding it. One of them had been converted into a garage because Sol's uncle, Uncle Geoffrey, was an scientist. Which, in short, meant he liked to breed flying monkeys and blow things up. Though he insisted that he didn't actually breed flying monkeys.

We stopped at the porch. And at that we stopped so abruptly that I bounced up and down painfully. Then just as abruptly Nicholas dropped me. I dropped like a dead weight and sprawled in the mud at his feet.

"Gee, thanks, Nicky," I grumbled because taking my anger out on Nicholas was easier than collapsing in a hysterical heap.

"Inside," he ordered.

I clambered to my feet, deliberately slowly and clumsily.

"Go inside or I'll take you inside," he teased.

I recalled the blood rushing to my head and helpless feeling I hated when I was picked up. I was going to avoid that at all costs.

"Jerk," I retorted and stomped towards the house mustering all the dignity that remained intact.

I stamped down the hallway to make presence known to all and proceeded to the kitchen.

Helena, Cherry's mum, strutted towards us in her amazing battle-likr glory, her straight, dark hair cascading down her shoulders and her dark eyes as piercing as ever. Helena was the ultimate ninja of the twenty-first century and was as cruel and ruthess as Voldemort. She was the coolest mum inthe world - seriously, she asked Sol to buy her stakes on Mothers' Day istead of chocolate and flowers.

Her eyes widened ever so slightly when she saw Christopher, who was know in Nicholas's arms, but the whole family relied on her to keep calm and sort everything out.

"On the kitchen table, Nicholas," she commanded briskly. "Solange, needles and thread. Lucy, a bowl of water and towel. Nicholas, alcohol and pain killers."

We all scurried to our respective tasks as quickly as possible. When all was done I stood back and watched as Miriam concentrated on threading the needle. She worked night shifts as a nurse in the local hospital. The one Jemma was in. I cringed as the needle pierced Chris's skin and Sol dabbed more alcohol on his arm to numb it. I was clutching the edge of my school jumper that my knuckles went bone white.

Someone bumped my shoulder. "Don't worry." Nicholas's voice whispered gruffly.

I squeezed my eyes shut and wished it was that easy. When Miriam pulled the thread taut and knotted it with precision I hesitantly opened my eyes again.

"Done," she remarked, breathing a barely audible sigh off relief. "I have him under anaesthetic so he'll wake up in the morning," she added.

"I'll take him up," offered Nicholas.

"Thank you. Take Lucy as well – Sol's helping me clean up."  
I would much rather be taken up by Solange, but I knew she strived to be a doctor and any experience counted for her future. I mentally cursed my soft spot for my best friend.

"Follow me," said Nicholas, lifting up Chris off the table.

He led me up the spiral staircase and along the narrow corridor. My room was at the furthest end of the corridor. Yes, I had my own room in my best friend's house but it was huge and I spent most of the time at her house anyway. I was considered part of the family.

Chris was laid on the soft white bed in one of the many guest rooms and I tucked him in, full of the sisterly love that I would never have shown had he been conscious. I ran my hand over the neat, white stitches in his arm. My little brother would be scarred forever. I simply couldn't wait to meet whoever had done this.

"He'll be fine," said Nicholas gently, taking me by the arm and forcefully pulling me away.

"No he won't!" I snapped, wrenching my arm away and stalking to my room.

I slammed the door and lay on my bed, eyes closed, face pressed against my pillow.

There was a timid knock at the door. "Do you want me to stay?" asked Nicholas softly.

Nicholas wasn't soft.

I began to say 'go away' but got a mouth full of pillow and just growled at him.

"I have cookies."

"Welcome to my humble abode!"

Nicholas slipped through the door as silent as a shadow, carrying a plate of cookies for me. The sight was dull. Well, I must be majorly depressed, I thought to myself, if the sight of cookies didn't cheer me up.

Nicholas handed me the cookies and positioned himself on the floor to watch me as I half-heartedly nibbled at the cookie, purely out of politeness. Finally I abandoned the chewed up cookie and lay down, closing my eyes and drifting into a half dream-like state.

I felt Nicholas lean his head against mine and twine his fingers through mine. I opened one eye a slit and realised he was just looking at me expectantly, as if to see my reaction. I closed my eye again and was momentarily asleep.

At one point I heard the door open and voices drifted in.

"Oh," Quinn said and I could sense his disappointment, "I thought she had strangled him."

"Don't be stupid, Quinn," Conner replied. "Thorne had cookies on his side – there was no way Lucy would kill him before that."

"Scram, you idiots!" hissed Solange. "This is so cute and romantic."

I summoned all of my sleepy strength and threw a pillow at her. Everyone promptly scurried out of the room as the next closest item was a metal alarm clock.

**Me: Hehehe... I've always wanted to through an alarm clock at someone.**

**Beau: You did. This freaking morning!**

**Me: Heh... Oh right.**

**This song is totally awesome but it is stuck in my head. Maybe writing it will help...**

**I wanna be rich, and I want lots of money**

**I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny**

**I want lots of clothes, and -sensored-loads of diamonds**

**I heard people die while they're trying to find them!**

**Please Review!**


	7. Confession

**Soz but I am abandoning this story**


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